TORONTO, Dec. 1, 2022
/CNW/ - Scotiabank is investing $1.2
million in the Canadian National Institute for the Blind
(CNIB), a national charitable organization that helps remove
barriers to inclusion for individuals impacted by sight
loss. Through the Bank's ScotiaRISE initiative, the three-year
investment will help people who are blind, partially sighted or
deafblind improve their educational and employment prospects across
Canada.
Scotiabank's support for the CNIB will be directed towards the
Come to Work Program, a national initiative that helps raise
employment outcomes of working-age Canadians with visual
impairments. Participants obtain training in networking and self
advocacy, and in accessible technology such as screen readers,
video conferencing and smartphones. The program also educates
corporate partners to better utilize assistive technology and
accommodations to make workplaces more inclusive and increase
recruitment of people with sight loss.
In Canada, the unemployment
rate for people with sight loss is 14.5 per cent, three times
higher than the general unemployment rate. Despite having
comparable or higher qualifications than their sighted
peers, people with sight loss face significant challenges
joining and staying in the workforce, including lack of access to
assistive devices, and limited networking and advancement
opportunities. A recent report by Scotiabank Economics calls
attention to the important role of inclusive labour markets in
helping Canadians with disabilities achieve financial security.
Through the partnership, the CNIB will have the capacity to help
more than 1,000 talent pool members access personalized
professional development opportunities through workshops,
internships, mentorships, networking events with potential
employers and referrals to community agencies for employment
training sessions and work placements.
"Through the Come to Work Program, people with sight loss will
have the opportunity to gain access to networking, training and
placements to significantly improve their employment prospects,"
said Meigan Terry, Senior Vice
President and Chief Sustainability, Social Impact and
Communications Officer at Scotiabank. "We are proud to support the
CNIB in its efforts to improve economic inclusion of people with
sight loss and help them overcome barriers to employment."
The community investment will also help to fund paid internships
at CNIB so job seekers can obtain practical work experience and
transferrable skills that can be highlighted on resumes and job
applications. ScotiaRISE will also become a National Sponsor of
Connecting the Dots Conference, Canada's largest educational and professional
development conference focused on education, technology, and
employment for people who are blind, partially sighted or
deafblind.
"The CNIB cannot change employment outcomes alone, nor can we
sustain the work of eliminating barriers to employment for every
business across the country alone," says Thomas Simpson, Executive Director, Come to
Work, CNIB. "I want to thank the forward-thinking leaders of our
employer partners such as Scotiabank for recognizing the unique
contributions that people who are blind, partially sighted, or
Deafblind bring to the workforce. Together, we're creating a
Canada where everyone can come to
work!"
About Canadian National Institute
for the Blind
Founded in 1918, the CNIB Foundation delivers innovative
programs and powerful advocacy to help empower Canadians who are
blind or partially sighted to live their dreams and tear down
barriers to inclusion.
About ScotiaRISE
Scotiabank's community partnership with the CNIB is a signature
program within ScotiaRISE, the Bank's 10-year $500
million initiative to promote economic resilience among
disadvantaged groups.
As a key enabler of the Bank's purpose to deliver for every
future, ScotiaRISE is fostering sustainable change by partnering
with programs and organizations across its footprint that provide
the tools people need to improve their education and employment
prospects, adapt to changing circumstances, and increase the
likelihood of financial success.
In the past two years, Scotiabank has worked with over 200
charitable partners and supported countless initiatives across
Scotiabank's global footprint. Since its launch, over $60 million has been invested in communities
across the Bank's footprint.
Learn more about ScotiaRISE and Scotiabank's commitment to
inclusion of people with disabilities.
About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our
purpose: "for every future", we help our customers, their families
and their communities achieve success through a broad range of
advice, products and services, including personal and commercial
banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and
investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of over 90,000
employees and assets of over $1.3
trillion (as at October 31,
2022), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:
BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information,
please visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter
@Scotiabank.
SOURCE Scotiabank